Mental Health Connection FAQs

Why is there a Mental Health Connection?

Is Mental Health Connection a Service Provider?

Is Mental Health Connection a fundraising organization?

What does Mental Health Connection do?

What should I expect from the mental health care system in Tarrant County?

Why does Mental Health Connection sponsor the anti-stigma campaign,
"Open Minds Open Doors?"

What is Hand in Hand?

What is wraparound?

Why is the Fort Worth Independent School District involved in Mental Health Connection?

How do I join Mental Health Connection?

How do I become a sponsor of Mental Health Connection?

Q: Why is there a Mental Health Connection?
A: Mental Health Connection exists to improve the mental health care system in Tarrant County, resulting in “No Wrong Door to the Right Mental Health Resources.” The organization wants to ensure that no individuals fall through the cracks of the system because they cannot find the help they need. Instead, Mental Health Connection serves as an umbrella organization, helping all area mental health care and social service agencies find help for anyone who comes through their doors – even if they are not the right agency for each individual.

Mental Health Connection also works to help area agencies provide seamless continuity of care. Many individuals with mental health problems are involved with more than one agency. For example, a child may be working with Child Protective Services, MHMR Tarrant County and the Juvenile Justice System in addition to receiving specific services from other providers in the community. Mental Health Connection brings these agencies together so they can communicate with each other on behalf of the patient.

Over time, Mental Health Connection has tackled a number of issues in the provision of mental health care including insurance coverage, stigma, legislation, research and availability of care.

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Q: Is Mental Health Connection a service provider?
A: No, Mental Health Connection (MHC) is not a direct service provider. Rather, the organization provides an umbrella under which Tarrant County mental health care providers can work jointly to address mental health service needs in Tarrant County.

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Q: Is Mental Health Connection a fundraising organization?
A: No. While Mental Health Connection works with various agencies to seek grants, it does not function as a fundraising organization. Its operational expenses are covered primarily by membership dues paid by the various agencies who are committed to improving the mental health care system in Tarrant County.

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Q: What does Mental Health Connection do?
A: To achieve its vision, Mental Health Connection serves as an umbrella organization dedicated to bringing together the various mental health care agencies, private providers and those needing mental health care services in the community. Operating as a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, it provides opportunities for these agencies to share information, while implementing programs that benefit the entire mental health care community. Since its formation, Mental Health Connection has served as an advocate, helping to re-open 16 adolescent psychiatric beds at John Peter Smith Hospital. It also has sponsored mental illness anti-stigma public education campaigns and educated providers and their staff members about the “No Wrong Door” philosophy. Additionally, Mental Health Connection brought together the faith-based community to address mental health issues and sponsored nationally renowned speakers and events to educate members of the community. Mental Health Connection has developed a shared database called DataLink. This technology allows subscribers to provide patients and their caregivers with seamless continuity of care from one agency to another. The organization is governed by a board made up of its members. Its executive committee is composed of the officers, task force and committee chairs and representatives from major stakeholders.

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Q: What should I expect from the mental health care system in Tarrant County as a patient, caregiver or interested party?
A: Mental Health Connection’s Standards for Delivery of High-Quality Mental Health Services states:

Services will be:

Strength-based
All aspects of mental health services, including assessment, planning and treatment, will identify and recognize individual and family strengths

Effective
Services will be used which demonstrate an ability to effectively help participants. Programs will have clearly identified goals, and outcomes will be measured and reported. Outcome data will be used to determine program effectiveness and to guide decisions about program development or changes.

Family-focused
Every effort will be made to involve families in treatment and to provide services in a manner that promotes keeping the family together. Services will be provided in Tarrant County so consumers and families do not have to leave the county for help.

Culturally Competent
Service providers will be trained to interact with youth and families in a manner that respects and values their cultural values and traditions.

Safe
Programs will be staffed and supervised in a manner that provides safety for program participants.

Services will include:

Education, Prevention and Early Intervention
Education, prevention and early intervention are critical components of a holistic mental health system. Education and prevention can eliminate the need for services for some, and early intervention promotes enhanced long-term outcomes.

Consumer Empowerment
Services will be designed to assure consumers are full partners in the development and implementation of their service plans.

Recovery
Services will focus on helping clients overcome mental health problems and develop improved lifestyles. Services will not be solely designed to promote maintenance of existing functioning.

Integrated Service Delivery System
Providers of mental health services will recognize and fulfill their roles as members of our community mental health system. It is the obligation of all providers to help families and consumers access appropriate services.

Adequate Capacity
The mental health system is not complete until it is able to respond to the needs of consumers. Capacity for accessing quality services in a timely manner is critical to meeting the needs of consumers.

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Q: Why does Mental Health Connection sponsor anti-stigma campaigns?”
A: Mental Health Connection needs support from the community as it continues to build a seamless system of mental health care. However, the organization realizes it is important to overcome the stigma of mental illness before some in the community will provide this needed support. In addition, Mental Health Connection wants all individuals with a mental illness or severe emotional disturbance to be treated with respect and dignity. Neither goal is possible until members of the community learn that mental illness is just like physical illness and not a mark of bad character, bad parenting, laziness or lack of willpower.

Q: What is Hand in Hand?
A: Hand in Hand is a six-year $8.2 million cooperative agreement with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. MHMR of Tarrant County serves as the lead agency, partnering with Mental Health Connection of Tarrant County. Hand in Hand's goal is to enhance the System of Care in Tarrant County for children between birth and age 6 and their families. It is also expanding the system of care create to Hood, Johnson, Palo Pinto and Parker Counties. During its six-year timeframe, Community Solutions is providing “wraparound” services to children from throughout the five-county area. Results are monitored to determine the success of wraparound services in this population. However, Hand in Hand is not just a service delivery program. In addition to spearheading the wraparound research project, it is a leader in such areas as technology and training.

Q: What is wraparound?
A: Wraparound is a non-traditional, community-based process for helping young people with severe behavioral issues and their families. Important people in a family's life “wrap around” them, forming a team to help meet specific goals. Typically, a family mentor and a facilitator meet with the family, and together they explore the families needs, strengths, culture and values. They then work together to set goals to help meet their needs. The wraparound team meets with the family and thinks “outside the box” to meet those goals in ways that are based on the family's strengths, driven by the family and sensitive to the family’s culture. Wraparound teams may include mental health care providers as well as friends, relatives, neighbors, teachers, church members and others who can help achieve the goals.

Q: Why is the Fort Worth Independent School District involved in Mental Health Connection?
A: FWISD recognizes severe emotional disturbances present barriers to learning. By developing the Family Resource Centers, FWISD helps to remove those barriers while promoting healthy families who may become more engaged in their children’s education. FWISD’ s participation in the Mental Health Connection collaborative provides an atmosphere for competent care that addresses the unique needs of individual children and their families.

Q: How do I join Mental Health Connection of Tarrant County?
A: Membership is open to any individual or organization interested in promoting Mental Health Connection’s stated mission and vision. There are three levels of membership:

Sponsors, contributing $25,000 annually
Organizational members, contributing from $150 to $5,000 annually, depending on each organization’s operating budget
Individual members, contributing a minimum of $30 annually

If you are interested in becoming an organizational or individual member, please fill out a membership application.

Q: How do I become a sponsor of Mental Health Connection?
A: To become a sponsor, contact Patsy Thomas at 817-927-5200.